UFC 82 Pride Of A Champion

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson "Spider" Silva 20-4 vs Pride FC Middleweight Champion "Dangerous" Dan "Hendo Hollywood" Henderson 22-6 Clinch up and fight for the unified Middleweight Title! Both straps are on the line and we know both men want to lock up but work the clinch in very different ways. Silva likes to employ the Muay Thai style with knees and elbows while Dan works with Greco Roman wrestling style roughing you up in route to the floor. Anderson has just been rolling over people and has stopped 8 fighters in a row (discounting the DQ with Okami). Silva has not gone the distance in a fight since 2004 and will use his size to strike from the outside and superior speed to dole out constant punishment. Henderson loves the ground and pound style Team Quest is known for and that right hand is solid iron. Dan has a chin as well and is used to fighting bigger people though I believe he'll be stronger than Anderson. He also loves to throw punches and just slug it out though in a sloppy fashion that Silva can key in on with his pinpoint accuracy. I just look for Dan to survive early and try to take this fight to the floor where I believe he can win. He just cannot keep his distance and use trips in the clinch to takedown Silva and out point him for a decision victory. That only leaves 25 minutes for Silva to land that strike that ends the day for Henderson.
WINNER-Dan Henderson by decision

Cheick Kongo 11-3-1 vs "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring 27-13-1 Keep in mind everyone riding the jock of Kongo after his rib breaking upset of Mirko Cro Cop that Cheick was beaten on the floor by Carmelo Marrero 7-2 an average at best wrestling fighter. Heath knows he cannot hang with Kongo on the feet and has to win this fight just to remain employed with the UFC never mind being a part of the Heavyweight conversation. Herring has 16 submission wins and Kongo isn't good at stopping the takedowns like when he scraped out a win versus another average fighter in Assuerio Silva back in 2007. Kongo was aggressive because he was fighting a fellow striker in Cro Cop who has never gone for a takedown in his career. Heath is a fighter who is known for the floor action, and besides wanting to look good against Nogueira, knows he is outclassed most of the time, and especially this time on the feet. An execution of a standard takedown and I believe Kongo can be submitted. Herring must bob and weave standing but only a fool would trade punches with the exra large Frenchman.
UPSET PICK SPECIAL WINNER-Heath Herring by submission in Round 2!

Yushin "Thunder" Okami 22-4 vs Evan "Lone Wolf" Tanner 34-6 The former Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner returns from a 2 year fighting vacation where he battled alcohol addiction, financial ruin, and a lost sense of self. He claims the demons are behind him as he returns to action, but is still bouncing around from gym to gym for his sporadic training. Okami however has been near the top for a while now and is desperate for a win to keep him near title contention against the Champ Anderson Silva who he holds a victory over. If it were the Evan of old it would be one thing, but picking such a unstable man against an elite fighter would be crazy. Tanner's game is the floor but so is the stronger, younger, and more talented Okami. Gas him out and submit him on the floor.
WINNER-Yushin Okami by submission Round 2

Chris Leben 17-4 vs Alessio Sakara 16-6-1 Leben comes back from his upset win over the stupidly cocky Terry Martin and Sakara is still Sakara. He strikes does nothing else, and has not shown the best chin (KO losses to Alexander & McFedries) and is oh so susceptible to any and all submissions. Leben will test the punching power early, but with his new UFC contract he'll trip Sakara to the floor looking to submit him or at least win 3 rounds on points.
WINNER-Chris Leben by decision

Jon Fitch 20-2-1 vs Chris Wilson 12-3-1 Welcome to the UFC Chris as a replacement for the injured Akihiro Gono, and you get to fight the true #1 contender? in the Welterweight division. Sorry about that. Chris is no pussy coming from Team Quest and sporting big wins over Rory Markham and Jary Hieron. If Jon sleeps on this kid he's going to find trouble in a hurry. I think that this close to a title shot and with his brutal regimen training, Fitch is always ready for war wherever it takes place. 14 fight winning streak for Fitch who has just been beating the crap outta people. This may end up a dogfight but Fitch finds a way to win in a brawl.
WINNER-Jon Fitch

Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski 13-5 vs Jake O'Brien 10-0 Jake can take you down with wrestling experience but has bad standup and a questionable chin. Arlovski has some of the most crisp and powerful punches in the game and great takedown defense. It only takes one with the Pitbull who is on his final UFC fight and pissed about being put on the undercard, and left sitting on the UFC bench for almost a year. Lay & pray is definitely the name of the game for O'Brien but he just won't have enough with the ultra athletic and angry man from Belarus. By the by, Jake mentioned that the UFC will show the bout only if he wins. I wonder what Andrei thinks of that?
WINNER-Andrei Arlovski by TKO

Josh "Blanket" Koscheck 11-2 vs Dustin Hazelett 12-3 Wrestling versus submission? I actually don't think so. Kos is learning to punch at ATT which led to his success against Sanchez (see below). There is no reason to trade with a ground warrior if he isn't that special on the feet. People are calling decision but I see Josh's improved stand up ending this bout earlier than expected. Pundits also overlook the fact when he wants to, Kos has great takedown defense.

WINNER-Koscheck in less boring than normal style

Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez 19-2 vs David Bielkheden 12-5 Say Dave's name I dare you. So Diego the "future" of the Welterweight division finds himself coming off 2 straight losses after being undefeated and leaving Greg Jackson's ranks (which I still believe is a mistake). Kos just surprised him with his punching and Fitch is the elite of the division. All that is the past though folks. Diego is still a wrestling monster who is learning to throw his decent combinations while looking as angry as a love song intro'd Oscar De La Hoya. Davey can play the ground game as well but not match the intensity and stamina Diego brings into every fight (minus the staff infection fight with Koscheck).

WINNER-Nightmare barbarian style

Luke "Weezer" Cummo 9-4 vs Luigi Fioravanti 12-3 A lot of people are going for Luke in this who cares these two are destined for obscurity except for the returning factoid that Cummo drinks his urine daily bout but I'm not so sure. Luigi has a ridiculous chin and lumbering punches that put people to sleep. Cummo must take this to the floor to win though everyone says he is a better striker (which I still don't get). Better team also goes to Luigi with ATT while Cummo dines at Matt Serra's academy. Stamina Luke, power Luigi, breath to Luke, but I still take the bigger fella.

UPSETPICKWINNER-Luigi by decision

Jorge Gurgel 14-3 vs John Alverson 16-5 Hey lets end this with a who cares match featuring a overrated Brazilian (Jorgey) and a plain jane Iowan (John). Jorge is tuff, will outwork you, and can fall back on his Ju Jitsu after his flailing hands fail him.

WINNER-Jorge by who is John again?

If Kos and Diego win their bouts and you cannot see a rematch coming, you are as blind as anyone who dates Paris Hilton. Okami becomes #1 contender if Anderson wins but if he loses he'll rematch Henderson,but I bet Silva takes a deserved vacation, and Henderson asks Dana White why his buddy Matt Lindland still isn't signed while Arlovski goes to Elite XC, Fitch asks why he isn't #1 contender for the winner of Serra/GSP while Karo slides into that spot later next month, and finally Randy Couture ignores the PPV laughing with Mark Cuban on a pile of cash watching Deuce Bigalow. Don't get the Rob Schneider reference you aren't paying close enough attention. Oh lest I forget and I've asked for it many times, can someone fire Sakara already?